Six burned bodies found inside vehicle in Tijuana

Police and fire news in brief

TIJUANA: Authorities were trying yesterday to determine the identities of six people found dead inside a vehicle in a western section of Tijuana.

The victims, burned beyond recognition, were found about 10 p.m. Monday when firefighters were called to extinguish a white Nissan Sentra burning on the side of a road.

Across town, the bodies of two men were discovered at 9:30 a.m. yesterday. The men, who had been shot repeatedly, appeared to be in their 30s. They remained unidentified late yesterday.

— S.D.

Fallbrook man in custody over conduct with girls

FALLBROOK:
A 55-year-old Fallbrook apartment manager was arrested on several counts related to inappropriate conduct with young girls, sheriff's officials said yesterday.

Enrique Lopez Torres was taken into custody about 7 a.m. Thursday on West Clemmens Lane off South Mission Road, Detective Dan Laibach said. School authorities reported Wednesday that Torres approached an 11-year-old girl at a bus stop across the street from his apartment and grabbed her hand, Laibach said. The girl said Torres told her she was pretty and that he wanted to marry her, Laibach said.

The bus arrived and Torres let go, and the girl ran to the bus crying. The bus driver notified school authorities, who called the Sheriff's Department.

The next morning, Laibach observed Torres watching and waving at two other girls, ages 10 and 11, at the same bus stop, he said.

Torres was arrested and booked into the Vista jail. He faces numerous charges, including lewd and lascivious acts with a child under 14, and is being held in lieu of $330,000 bail.

— D.B.

In other crime news

SAN DIEGO:
A man suspected in a robbery Monday at a Bank of America on El Cajon Boulevard in City Heights has been identified by the FBI as Michael Casey Wilson, 69, of Santee. Wilson was being held on $100,000 bail at the Central Jail in San Diego, jail records showed yesterday. —S.S.

EL CAJON:
A man who police said was fatally shot when he forced his way inside an El Cajon apartment with a handgun has been identified as Marcial Garcia, 28, the county Medical Examiner's Office said. Garcia was shot about 5:25 p.m. Monday near Broadway and North Third Street, El Cajon police said.

— J.L.J.

ACCIDENT WATCH

Motorcyclist killed after unlicensed driver's U-turn

RAMONA:
An unlicensed driver made a U-turn in front of a motorcyclist yesterday, causing a crash that killed the rider, the California Highway Patrol said.

In other accident news

EL CAJON:
A motorcyclist was killed yesterday after colliding with a vehicle in El Cajon, the California Highway Patrol said. The collision occurred about 5:15 p.m. near Hanson Lane and McDougal Terrace.

— J.L.J.

EAST COUNTY:
A Marine killed when her motorcycle crashed near Descanso was identified yesterday as Cpl. Marleea A. Gerfen, 21, the Marine Corps said. Gerfen, from Lake Illinois, Ill., was heading south on Route 79 near Lookout Road about 3:40 p.m. Sunday when her motorcycle went down. She served as an aircraft mechanic with Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 16, Marine Aircraft Group 16, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing at Miramar Marine Corps Air Station.

— J.L.J.

COURT WATCH

Parolee guilty of hammer and sex attack on woman

SAN DIEGO COURTS:
A parolee accused of hitting his girlfriend with a hammer and then sexually assaulting her at her Pacific Beach home was convicted yesterday of felony charges that could send him to prison for life.

Walter Cordell, 53, was found guilty of six counts, including premeditated attempted murder and forcible rape. The jury was unable to reach unanimous decisions on seven other counts, including rape by foreign object and sodomy. Cordell is scheduled to be sentenced Oct. 15.

During the trial, prosecutor Lindsey Krause told the jury that Cordell's relationship with the victim was ending and that Cordell was preparing to move out.

On May 30, 2008, Cordell told the victim that he had a “surprise” for her and then attacked her, causing deep cuts to the back of her head, a broken arm and broken neck, the prosecutor said.